Dining out with friends who drink too much: how frustrating the bill is
For most people, dining out is a wonderful moment of relaxation, delicious food and good conversation. But what if you have to deal with friends who look just a little too deeply into their glasses? It can seriously ruin both your evening and your bank account. Hans shares his frustration about dining out with friends who drink too much. “Whoa, wait, so now I’m the cheapskate?!”
Four bottles of wine and one beer
Hans explains: “We sit down, we order, I get a beer, and then it starts: the others order a bottle of wine, then another bottle, and then one more. Before you know it, there are four bottles on the table and the waiter is almost forgotten.”
The scenario escalates when it comes to desserts: Armagnac, Irish Coffee, cocktails… while Hans calmly drinks his double espresso. The drinking spiral turns a pleasant evening into a financial irritation.
Splitting the bill: the ultimate annoyance
The moment of truth: the bill. “Let’s just split everything,” someone says. Hans explains why this is frustrating: “Yes, of course, let’s just split the bill, as if we’ve all drunk the same amount. As if my modest beers have the same financial value as four bottles of wine, a bottle of Armagnac and a couple of Irish Coffees.”
The cheapskate of the group
Of course, they’re friends, and we’re having a nice evening. But the moment you even carefully point out that you might prefer to pay only for your own food and drinks, you suddenly become the cheapskate of the group. “Oh, come on! It’s only ten euros more!” Hans: “That may be true right then, but after that much alcohol I don’t expect anyone to be very good with numbers anymore. And besides, ten euros HERE, ten euros THERE. Just calculate what that adds up to over a year!”
“You really need to learn to relax, man!”
They look at me as if I’m the guest who shows up at a birthday party with a half-eaten bag of crisps as a present. “What’s wrong with you? Are you broke or something?” Hans: “And then you always have that one friend, you know, the one who always drinks just a little too much, suddenly becomes ‘completely honest’ and says: “You really need to learn to relax, man. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Yes, that’s right, we’re friends. And no, I’m not broke, but I also don’t feel like being the joint sponsor of a booze binge. Is that really so strange?”
The price I pay for it
It’s not just financially exhausting, but emotionally exhausting too. “I feel as if I’m taking legal action to save 27 euros on something I didn’t even order,” Hans says. In the end, you walk outside, your mood heavy and your wallet lighter, while your friends stagger down the street.
Tips to prevent this when dining out
Do you recognize yourself in Hans’s story? Here are three useful tips to prevent this frustration.
Useful strategies
Make agreements beforehand. It sounds very unappealing, but it does make sure you don’t go home frustrated. Discuss who pays for what, especially with larger groups.
Pay for your own drinks. Completely understandable when you’re going out with heavy drinkers, right?
Set a maximum. Agree on a limit for alcohol consumption beforehand.
Finally: if they really are good friends, meet them halfway.
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Hans’s name has been changed for privacy reasons. His real name is known to the editorial team. Would you also like to share a personal story (anonymously!)? You can email us at info@favorflav.com
